Creamy Pasta Salad

 

Having leftover smart veggie elbow macaroni, a Catelli brand pasta made with carrot and cauliflower flours with twice the fibre as regular pasta, had me wanting to make pasta salad... you know the creamy comfort kind and although mine isn't excessively rich or creamy because I made it with less mayo and more organic Greek yoghurt, it still has that cool creaminess that comes with many sides over late summer. I added chopped celery, diced mixed peppers from our pepper pot and slices of green onion. Oil and vinegar may be used to replace the mayo and yoghurt, just adjust the measurements to 1/4 cup vinegar and about 1/2 cup olive oil and omit the 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar.   

Macaroni Salad Dressing

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1/4 cup mayo

3/4 cup plain Organic Greek yoghurt

2 teaspoons grainy mustard

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or any vinegar you prefer

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 - 2 teaspoons vegetable and herb medley seasoning mix or whatever fresh or dried mixed herbs you like

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Add ins:

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup mixed peppers, diced

2 celery stalks, cut in half and chopped

3 - 4 cups cooked leftover Catelli Smart Veggie elbow macaroni

In a medium bowl combine all the salad dressing ingredients and whisk together until well combine and smooth.

Prep and chop the vegetables if you haven't done so already.

In a large bowl add the leftover cold macaroni and pour the dressing over and toss together until well coated. Add the chopped vegetables and toss again.

Food Photo of the Day ~ Peppers

This year we got an assorted pepper pot and it was one of the best things to have. They aren't a standard full size pepper however they do have lots of flavour for being so mini. Keeping care of it was easy however diligent and we were able to produce more fruit and have sliced peppers with almost everything this summer. With an array of colours varying from orange, yellow, green and red. They were absolutely wonderful on nachos.   

These were some of the red peppers from the pot and although petite, they had a bit of a spicy kick, which was a surprise but very welcomed. Excellent with eggs and in stir-fries, the vibrant mighty minis are a favourite. The pot is still producing fruit so our pepper eating days are continuing late into the summer.    

Food Photo of the Day ~ Nachos

 

At the best of times dinners are meant to refuel and sustain you until the next day and other times dinners can be relaxed and loaded with a variety of ingredients. Fresh vegetables, seasoned minced meat, shredded cheese and organic corn chips accompanied by salsa, sour cream and guacamole;  nachos are quick and perfect for sharing and make for an engaging meal time.  - JD   

Food Photo of the Day ~ Noodle Soup

Noodle soups are the most versatile meal one can make. By simply adding fresh or frozen vegetables changes the the flavour and your outlook. A quick and nutritious slurp and brimming broth eases the understated ordinary into something exceptional and satisfying. It's amazing what frozen peas, peppers and kale can do!   

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a nice weekend! - JD

Easy Pasta Salad

 

When purchasing a salad dressing that is deeply discounted and soon to expire in a few weeks; there is one dish that comes to mind... pasta salad. It is presumptuous to think that salads of any kind can only be enjoyed during the warmer months, I think that's not true. Salads, depending on ingredients whether they are seasonal or what ingredients are available, make for a meal and may be enjoyed anytime regardless of the weather. 

Easy Pasta Salad

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1 package (500g) fusilli or pasta of your choice

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped  

1 yellow pepper, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

200g package of organic cremini mushrooms, sliced and sautéd

herbed halloumi cheese, sliced and panfried

475ml Catalina salad dressing 

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool slightly.

Chop and slice the vegetables and prepare the mushrooms and cheese as stated in the recipe. 

Place the cooked pasta into a large bowl. Add all the prepared vegetables, including mushrooms, and toss together. Pour the entire bottle of Kraft's Catalina dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss to coat. Add the halloumi cheese and toss again. Serve with chopped green or black olives.

Leftovers #50 ~ Taco Pie

Often times when we have tacos there is leftover meat. Usually we use it for flat bread sandwiches or homemade pizzas this time I decided to make a taco pie. With a few simple ingredients and modifications, depending on your pantry, you can make this no fuss dinner in minutes.  

Just roll out homemade or ready made pie crust into a big circle, the best you can. You may form the crust traditionally in a baking pie plate or shape free form; I like the latter because it enables me to just get on with making it, less fuss, more rustic.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). If you do form the crust into a baking pie plate you may have to adjust the baking time. Place the rolled pie crust onto a lined baking sheet, with baking parchment paper. 

Spoon taco sauce or crushed tomato sauce and salsa over the crust, leaving a space about 1 inch from the sides. Then sprinkle leftover taco meat, black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese. Fold the sides inward toward the centre of the pie, not completely covering. It doesn't have to be perfect that is part of this rustic charm. Brush the exposed crust with an egg wash and sprinkle with parsley. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until crust is nicely golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with green onions, red onions, or lettuce. Serve with dollops of guacamole and sour cream. And that is one delicious and done dinner!

Have a nice weekend and stay safe everyone! - JD 

At The Market

Those fresh weekend market finds... rainbow tomatoes, creamy new potatoes, crisp peppers, tangy sweet coronation grapes, and a brimming mixed fruit box, filled with cherries, grapes, golden plums, peaches, nectarines and apples! 

Again, have a lovely long weekend! - JD  

The Great Pepper Cookbook

With over 30 types of peppers and chile peppers, ranging from the well known and versatile bell peppers to the lesser known intense bhut jolokia and scorpion chile peppers, with delicious recipes, charts and notes await one in this very guided informative cookbook. At the beginning of the book there is the helpful, Scoville Organoleptic Test, a chart, which determines the heat units of each pepper fresh or dried. 

These focused ingredient cookbooks as simplified as they are, they are very handy. Throughout the pages and amongst the glossy photos stand delicious and inspiring recipes with helpful hints and notes. Each recipe has a pepper rating that ranges from 1 pepper to 3 peppers... 1 pepper = mellow, 2 peppers = zippy and 3 peppers = kickin'. Giving you a better understanding of how versatile peppers may be. There are many recipes that will tempt you and cover everything from appetizers, snacks and drinks, breakfast and brunches, soups and salads, sandwiches, main dishes, side dishes and desserts. So whether you like a bit of heat or a lot of heat there is a recipe that will please and suit which ever level of heat you prefer. Recipes like... The Red Hot Lemonade, Guajillo Chile Zucchini Bread, Coleslaw with Chile Lime Dressing, Portobello Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Citrusy Chicken and Peach Salad, Fiery French Toast and the Apple - Cinnamon - Chile Crumb Cake all caught my eye and my stomach, to name a few.  

The recipe that I am sharing from the book sounds delicious and summery. Looking at the recipe, you may be able to use the preserve mixture as a marinade of sorts and cook the chicken on the barbeque.   

Raspberry - Chile Chicken Thighs ( 2 pepper rating)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes / Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes / Serves: 6 (2 thighs)

12 chicken thighs (about 5 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups seedless raspberry preserve

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 fresh Hatch chile peppers, roasted, peeled, stems and seeds removed, and diced

2 lemons, juiced (about 6 tablespoons juice)

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Heat oil and butter in a large flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 6 pieces chicken; sear, about 5 minutes per side. remove from pan and add remaining 6 pieces chicken; repeat procedure. Return all chicken to roasting pan. 

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine preserves, vinegar, chile, and juice; cook just until boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

3. Place preserves mixture in a blender*; process until slightly smooth. Pour preserves mixture over chicken; sprinkle evenly with paprika and cayenne pepper. Cover with foil; bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until chicken is completely cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165ºF, about 15minutes. Serve. 

*The Recipe's Notes: Be cautious when blending hot foods; the contents expand rapidly, causing a risk of scalding. To be safe, before blending, remove centre piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), secure lid on blender, and place a towel over opening in lid (to avoid splatters)

The Recipe's Kitchen Savvy: If your roasting pan isn't stove-top safe, sear chicken in a large skillet, in batches if necessary, before transferring to the roasting pan. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Things are a bit all over the place for me this week. - JD 

   

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

As slow cooker recipes go this is one of the more straightforward ones. With minimal preparation and maximum flavour. Great with pasta or a salad. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

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makes 6 servings

4 teaspoons olive oil

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt

black pepper

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced 

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced

1 cup onion, sliced

20 grape tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons roasted garlic and pepper seasoning

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add half of the chicken to the fry pan; cook for 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove the cooked chicken pieces to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. 

Add the bell peppers, onion and grape tomatoes to the slow cooker. In a medium bowl combine the water, flour, garlic seasoning, cumin, oregano and paprika and mix well; add to the slow cooker. Top with the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or HIGH for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. 

Despite the weather and recent current events, I hope everyone had a good weekend! 
- JD 

Butter Chicken Pizza

Saturday nights I usually make pizza. This time I was inspired to make a butter chicken pizza. Fairly simple considering I used a pre-made low sodium butter chicken sauce. Roll out your pizza dough. Spread the butter chicken sauce all over, being generous. Then add pieces of pre-cooked chicken, orange peppers, onions and whatever other veggies you like. Place mozzarella cheese, grated or thinly sliced, on top. Bake until cheese has melted and bubbly and crust is slightly golden. With a pizza cutter slice into wedges and let this mouthwatering pizza leave you wanting more. Trust me it will! - JW